Cabinet Office

Cybersecurity: Crown Dependencies

Lord Lancaster of Kimbolton: To ask His Majesty's Government what supportthey are offering each of the Crown Dependencies in building cyber-resilience, broken down by dependency.

Baroness Neville-Rolfe: The Government is committed to supporting the Crown Dependencies in deterring and defending against state and non-state threats. Since its creation in 2016, the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) has supported the Crown Dependencies in building their cyber resilience. The NCSC supports the governments, police and communications service providers of the Crown Dependencies, engaging with them on a regular basis to provide expert advice, guidance, the latest threat assessments and support related to incidents affecting their networks. The governments of the Crown Dependencies also use a range of Active Cyber Defence tools and services provided by the NCSC. Although a breakdown of costs is not available, examples of support includes:The NCSC supported and advised on the formation of Cyber Security Incident Response Teams in the Crown Dependencies. Jersey Cyber Emergency Response Team (CERT) has now been established and is responsible for promoting and improving the cyber resilience across the Island’s critical national infrastructure.The NCSC have attended events on each of the Crown Dependencies in recent years, presenting at the Isle of Man’s Cyber Isle cyber Conference in 2021, 2022 and 2023. Attendees were informed about the NCSC’s free products and services available to all Crown Dependencies covering public, private and third sectors;The Governments of the Crown Dependencies, are eligible for and are using NCSC Active Cyber Defence services including Mail Check, Web Check, Early Warning and Protective DNS. These are the same tools used by HMG to help protect our networks.

ICT: Public Opinion

Lord Holmes of Richmond: To ask His Majesty's Government whether they have used or tested tools, such as Pol.is or CitizenOS, as a way of gathering public opinion on different issues.

Baroness Neville-Rolfe: There is no centrally held record of government use of tools such as Pol.is or CitizenOS used as ways of gathering and understanding public opinion. The use of such is devolved to individual departments.The Central Digital and Data Office (CDDO), within Cabinet Office, is responsible for supporting departments to build and operate modern, state of the art, highly responsive, cost-effective technology that meets the needs of our end users and delivers the cross-government digital strategy.CDDO is working with departments to establish the frameworks and policies to guide the responsible adoption of new technologies.

Government Departments: Policy

Lord Kempsell: To ask His Majesty's Government what standard of scientific evidence they require when commissioning internal and external evaluations of their policies and programmes; and whether they routinely require that an objective standard of evidence be met by, for example, mandating use of the Maryland Scientific Methods Scale or similar.

Baroness Neville-Rolfe: Evaluation is a Treasury requirement for all Government policies and programmes. All evaluations of Government policies and programmes must be carried out in line with the evaluation standards in the Magenta Book (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-magenta-book), which is Treasury guidance on how evaluations should be undertaken. Annex A of the Magenta Book details the analytical methods which can be used. All Ministerial Departments have published an evaluation strategy on GOV.UK (https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/evaluation-strategies-from-uk-government-departments), publicly setting out how they will meet the required standards. The Evaluation Task Force (ETF) was established in 2021 with the aim of increasing the quality and quantity of evaluations conducted across Government. The ETF works closely with evaluation leads within Departments to advise on evaluation designs and application of evaluation methods and to ensure that Government evaluations are robust and are delivered to a high analytical standard. This involves identifying the most proportionate and robust method(s) suitable for each policy or programme in question. The ETF does not have a routine set of requirements which Departments are held to, because the most appropriate method for each evaluation is specific to the policy and programme context. In some cases methods which score lower on the Maryland Scientific Methods Scale may represent the most robust and proportionate approaches for a Government policy or programme. While the ETF works with Departments to ensure that the most robust methods possible are applied to each policy or programme, this is done on a case-by-case basis rather than through the application of a scale or framework.

UK Internal Trade: Northern Ireland

Lord Weir of Ballyholme: To ask His Majesty's Government what processes are in place to monitor the implementation of the Green Lane systemfor trade from Great Britain to Northern Ireland to identify any practical issues for businesses.

Baroness Neville-Rolfe: The Government is conducting regular monitoring of the UK Internal Market Scheme and Northern Ireland Retail Movement Scheme and there are clear signs of new traders taking advantage of these new arrangements.With respect to the UK Internal Market Scheme, as set out to the Northern Ireland Protocol Sub-Committee on 12 October, there are now more than 6,200 businesses registered - 2,200 of which (more than a third) are companies who were not members of the previous UKTS scheme. This list is dynamic, meaning more businesses moving goods in Northern Ireland will benefit over time.With respect to the new Northern Ireland Retail Movement Scheme, the broader eligibility coupled with the certainty provided to businesses, mean that we have seen welcome signs of new traders taking advantage of the scheme. For example, wholesalers have written to customers noting that they are now able to “bring back some of your favourite products that we had to remove due to the previous Northern Ireland Protocol”. Consumers in Northern Ireland are also able to see the broader reach of the green lane, with for example shelf labelling in place in major food service outlets, which were excluded from the scope of the old grace periods.The Government continues its extensive programme of engagement with businesses to identify any practical issues and ensure that the new Green Lane system continues to be implemented in a seamless manner.

Coronavirus: Death

Lord Hain: To ask His Majesty's Government how many deaths occurred in each of the last 12 months where the cause of death was listed asCOVID-19.

Baroness Neville-Rolfe: The information requested falls under the remit of the UK Statistics Authority. Please see the letter attached from the National Statistician and Chief Executive of the UK Statistics Authority. The Rt Hon. the Lord HainHouse of LordsLondonSW1A 0PW 20 October 2023 Dear Lord Hain, As National Statistician and Chief Executive of the UK Statistics Authority, I am responding to your Parliamentary Question asking how many deaths occurred in each of the last 12 months where the cause of death was listed as COVID-19 (HL10538). The Office for National Statistics (ONS) is responsible for publishing statistics on deaths registered in England and Wales [1]. Figures for Scotland [2] and Northern Ireland [3] are the responsibility of National Records for Scotland and Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency, respectively. Causes mentioned on the death certificate are converted to International Classification of Diseases 10th edition (ICD-10) codes, with the underlying cause of death defined as the disease or injury that initiated the events that directly lead to the death. The ICD-10 codes for COVID-19 are U07.1, U07.2, U10.9, U09.9.Table 1 shows the number of deaths due to COVID-19 registered in England and Wales by month registered between October 2022 and September 2023.Yours sincerely,Professor Sir Ian Diamond Table 1: Deaths due to COVID-19 by month and year of registration, England and Wales, registered October 2022 and September 2023 [4,5,6,7,8]. Month of registrationDeaths due to COVID-19October 20221,648November 20221,355December 20221,204January 20232,321February 20231,240March 20231,836April 20231,351May 2023868June 2023516July 2023222August 2023438September 2023674Source: Office for National Statistics[1] https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/birthsdeathsandmarriages/deaths/[2] https://www.nrscotland.gov.uk/statistics-and-data/statistics/statistics-by-theme/vital-events/deaths[3] https://www.nisra.gov.uk/statistics/births-deaths-and-marriages/deaths[4] Figures are for deaths registered, rather than deaths occurring in each period.[5] Figures are based on provisional data.[6] Figures include the deaths of usual residents of England and Wales as well as those of nonresidents.[7] Figures are based on deaths where COVID-19 (ICD-10 codes U07.1, U07.2, U10.9, U09.9) was the underlying cause of death.[8] Deaths due to COVID-19 refers to deaths where COVID-19 was the underlying cause of death. The underlying cause of death is defined by WHO as the disease or injury that initiated the train of events directly leading to death. UK Statistics Authority  (pdf, 113.9KB)

Public Duty Costs Allowance

Lord Rennard: To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Answer by Baroness Neville-Rolfe on21 November 2022 (HL Deb, col 1170), whether they update the House on claims made as a result of the Public Duty Costs Allowance (PDCA); when and how a review of the PDCA will take place; and how the National Audit Office is able to distinguish between the costs of paying staff, travel, and accommodation expenses etc. occurring as a result ofthem working on commercial projects such as memoirs, paid speaking engagements etc. and costs which arise wholly and exclusively as a result of being an ex-Prime Minister.

Baroness Neville-Rolfe: The Public Duty Cost Allowance is specifically reviewed by the National Audit Office (NAO) as part of its annual audit of the Cabinet Office. The 2022-23 NAO audit review was completed in October 2023. The 2023-24 audit review will commence in May 2024.The offices of the former Prime Ministers receive guidance which stipulates what type of expenses can be reimbursed by the Allowance. Claims, including those for office staff time, are then received by Cabinet Office Finance and include supporting evidence showing how much is related to the Allowance and how much is not.I would note that the same audit provisions applied when former Liberal Democrat Deputy Prime Minister, Nick Clegg, claimed the Allowance.

Home Office

Asylum

Baroness Lister of Burtersett: To ask His Majesty's Government how many streamlined asylum processing questionnaires have been issued; how many claims have been withdrawn or refused following the non-return of a questionnaire; how many of the applications were successful on the basis of the questionnaire; and how many were referred for a further interview.

Lord Murray of Blidworth: The information requested is not held in a reportable format and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost as it would require a manual trawl of case records to retrieve.

Asylum: Biometric Residence Permits

Baroness Lister of Burtersett: To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the remarkby Baroness Williams of Trafford on 3 February 2022 (HL Deb col 1070)that the 28-day moving-on period "does not start until refugees have been issued with a biometric residence permit", why they have changed their policy towards the moving-on period; and, following the policy change, what actions they will take to ensure that people granted refugee status receive their Biometric Residence Permit at the same time they are informed that their claim for asylum has been granted.

Baroness Lister of Burtersett: To ask His Majesty's Government, further to their change of policy around the moving-on period for migrants inAugust 2023, what assessment they have made of the capacity of Migrant Help to provide support to refugees to navigate the move-on period through the Advice, Issue Reporting and Eligibility contract.

Baroness Lister of Burtersett: To ask His Majesty's Government what proportion of people granted refugee status in the second quarter of 2023 having applied for asylum were supported by the Home Office under the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999 at the time they received the decision on their claim.

Baroness Lister of Burtersett: To ask His Majesty's Government what evidence they have received from (1) local authorities, and (2) voluntary sector organisations, regarding the impact on refugees of the changes to the move-on period for people whose asylum claim has been granted.

Lord Murray of Blidworth: To reduce the number of people currently accommodated in hotels and other accommodation types, and therefore reduce costs and limit the burden on the taxpayer, we are reliant upon people who are no longer eligible for asylum support leaving the asylum accommodation estate as quickly as possible. This number is increasing due to significant efforts underway to clear the asylum backlog.An individual remains eligible for asylum support for a prescribed period from the day they are notified of the decision on their asylum claim. Where someone is given notice that their asylum claim has been granted, their appeal has been allowed or their asylum claim has been refused but they have been given leave to enter or remain, the prescribed period in legislation is 28 days. There has been no change to the prescribed period.Individuals should make plans to move on from asylum support as quickly as possible. We offer support through Migrant Help or their partner organisation in doing this. This includes providing advice on accessing the labour market, on applying for Universal Credit and signposting to local authorities for assistance with housing. Newly recognised refugees are entitled to housing assistance from their local authority and are treated as a priority need if they have children or are considered vulnerable. Individuals do not need to wait for their BRP to make a claim for benefits and are encouraged to do so as early as possible if they require them.We are engaging the Department for Work and Pensions and the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, as well as our accommodation and support contractors including Migrant Help, on ensuring individuals can move on from asylum support as smoothly as possible.We will consider evidence received from voluntary sector organisations and local authorities and will respond to them via the usual routes.A notice to quit (NTQ) will only be issued once a person has been issued a biometric residence permit (BRP).

Refugees: Finance and Housing

The Lord Bishop of Durham: To ask His Majesty's Government what guidance or information they have issued to local authorities following the change to the move-on period for newly recognised refugees.

Lord Murray of Blidworth: An individual remains eligible for asylum support for a prescribed period from the day they are notified of the decision on their asylum claim. Where someone is given notice that their asylum claim has been granted, their appeal has been allowed or their asylum claim has been refused but they have been given leave to enter or remain, the prescribed period in legislation is 28 days. There has been no change to the prescribed period.Individuals should make plans to move on from asylum support as quickly as possible. We offer support through Migrant Help or their partner organisation in doing this. This includes providing advice on accessing the labour market, on applying for Universal Credit and signposting to local authorities for assistance with housing. Newly recognised refugees are entitled to housing assistance from their local authority and are treated as a priority need if they have children or are considered vulnerable. Individuals do not need to wait for their BRP to make a claim for benefits and are encouraged to do so as early as possible if they require them.We are ensuring our cross government partners, such as the (DWP) and the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC) are sighted on data to enable them to consider the impacts of increased decision making and effectively plan.  We are also working with DLUHC to ensure the right asylum decision data is being shared with local authorities to enable effective planning and to lessen the impact on existing homelessness and rough sleeping pressures. Our accommodation providers are directly working with local authorities to notify them when an individual is due to have their asylum support ended.In March 2023 we shared data with local and central government that provided a national overview of the initial SAP clearance exercise down to Local Authority level.  In August 2023 we shared a further heatmap that included an updated snapshot of all SAP cases, as well as those within the legacy cohort, providing a fuller picture of cases that could be made in each region, down to Local Authority level.

Asylum: Temporary Accommodation

Baroness Gohir: To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the(1) adequacy, (2) quality, (3) nutritional content, and (4) cultural appropriateness, of the food being provided toasylum seekers living in initial and dispersed asylum accommodation provided by the Home Office via contracts.

Baroness Gohir: To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they have taken to ensure that the food provided to asylumseekers living in initial and dispersed asylum accommodation provided by the Home Office via contracts (1) is adequate, (2) meets minimum quality standards, (3) meets basic nutritional needs, and (4) is culturally appropriate.

Lord Murray of Blidworth: Asylum seekers in initial accommodation are provided with three meals a day with a choice of at least one hot, one cold selection and a vegetarian option. Babies and small children are also provided with appropriate foodstuffs and can be fed whenever necessary. Options are provided for any asylum seeker with special dietary, cultural or religions requirements where specified. Food service meets appropriate nutritional standards and accommodation providers ensure that each varied menu is validated by a suitably qualified nutritionist or health professional as being appropriate.Those in dispersal accommodation are provided with £47.39 per week, to meet essential living needs including food provision.There are additional payments for pregnant women, children and babies as follows:Extra paymentsPregnant motherBaby under 1Child aged 1-3Pregnancy payment (per week)£3£5£3 S95 ApplicantsS4 applicants Maternity Payment (per month)£300£250

Asylum: Self-harm and Suicide

Baroness Gohir: To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the numbers ofasylum seekers who have (1) self-harmed, (2) attempted suicide, or (3) died by suicide, who are currently either living or lived in initial and dispersed asylum accommodation provided by the Home Office via contracts.

Baroness Gohir: To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they have taken toreduce the risk of self-harm amongst asylum seekers living in initial and dispersed asylum accommodation provided by the Home Office via contracts.

Lord Murray of Blidworth: The Home Office operates a Safeguarding Hub to support vulnerable individuals. Both the Home Office and its accommodation providers have robust processes in place to ensure that where someone is at risk, they are referred to the appropriate statutory agencies of police, NHS, and social services to promote appropriate safeguarding interventions.As well as making safeguarding referrals to the appropriate statutory agencies other actions include attendance at child/adult protection meetings with police and social workers and liaising with both external and internal partners to share information. The statutory agencies retain responsibility for all decisions on intervention activity.

Asylum

Lord German: To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byLord Murray of Blidworth on 26 September (HL10146), whether additional resources have been provided to Migrant Help to support refugees who, as a consequence of the backlog of applications being cleared, have recently been given asylum.

Lord Murray of Blidworth: The Home Office continues to work with Migrant Help to ensure that they can meet their contractual requirements. Migrant Help have increased their headcount to respond to the significant increase in demand for their services.

Migrants: Health Services and Visas

Lord German: To ask His Majesty's Government what is their estimate of the total number of people already in the UK likely to be affected by the increase in (1) visa fees, and (2) the Immigration Health Surcharge, scheduled for 4 October; and whether they have undertaken an equalities impact assessment.

Lord Murray of Blidworth: The Home Office has undertaken Equality Impact Assessments (EIA) for visa fees and the Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS) increases. The visa fee EIA was published on 19 September on gov.uk, the IHS EIA is due to be published shortly.The link to the EIA can be found at the below link.https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/immigration-and-nationality-fees-equality-impact-assessmentRegulatory Impact Assessments produced to accompany the legislation to increase the visa fee and IHS respectively analyse the potential impact on migration, broken down by visa product and delineated on applications made in and out of country.

Migrants: Health Services and Visas

Lord German: To ask His Majesty's Government whether they have made provision to support migrants already in the UK who are unable to afford the forthcoming increase in visa fees and the Immigration Health Surcharge.

Lord Murray of Blidworth: Where a person applying on a family and human rights immigration route is unable to afford the visa fee and/or the Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS), they are able to submit a Fee Waiver application to request that the Fee and/or IHS is waived. Where this is backed by clear and compelling evidence provided by the individual, the fees may be waived if the applicant cannot afford them.Exemptions from visa fees and the IHS are also in place for certain vulnerable cohorts, including asylum seekers, looked after children and Victims of Modern Slavery and Human Trafficking.

Asylum: Children

The Lord Bishop of Durham: To ask His Majesty's Government, following the High Court ruling that the use of hotels to house unaccompanied asylum-seeking children is unlawful, what steps they will take to end the use of hotels for this purpose.

Lord Murray of Blidworth: Hotel accommodation is a temporary means to accommodate the increased number of unaccompanied asylum-seeking children (UASC) arriving in the UK and is only ever a contingency option, not a long-term solution. The high number of UASC arrivals, particularly because of small boat crossings, has placed unprecedented pressure on the National Transfer Scheme (NTS). Out of necessity, the Home Office have accommodated UASC on an emergency and temporary basis in hotels while placements with local authorities have been vigorously pursued.The High Court recently ruled that the routine and systematic use of hotels to accommodate UASC is unlawful, and we are working at pace with Kent County Council, other government departments and local authorities across the UK to ensure suitable local authority placements are provided for UASC urgently and sustainably.The High Court has upheld that local authorities have a statutory duty to care for all children including UASC. The Home Office have always maintained that the best place for UASC to be accommodated is within a local authority.

Asylum: Employment

Lord Stone of Blackheath: To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byLord Murray of Blidworth on 26 September (HL10323), in view of the current backlog of asylum cases, what plans they have to allow asylum seekers to work if their claim has been outstanding for nine months or more, as opposed to 12 months or more.

Lord Murray of Blidworth: Whilst we keep all policies under review, there are no plans to change the existing policy, which allows asylum seekers with pending claims to work after 12 months, restricted to jobs on the Shortage Occupation List. Our policy position distinguishes between those who need protection and those seeking to work here who should instead apply for a work visa under the Immigration Rules. Individuals in need of protection should not make perilous journeys in order to seek employment in the United Kingdom, instead they should claim asylum in the first safe country they reach.There are also various legal routes for those seeking to work in the UK under the Points-Based System. These routes include Skilled Worker, Global Talent, and Health and Care routes, which are supporting UK businesses to recruit workers with the skills and talent they need from around the world.

Asylum: Housing

The Marquess of Lothian: To ask His Majesty's Government what measures they are taking to ensure that asylum seekers who are granted refugee status in the UK are not at increased risk of homelessness and destitution as a result of recent policy changes to the ‘move-on’ process, which requires newly-recognised refugees to quit Home Office accommodation on seven days’ notice instead of 28 days; and what measures they are taking to ensure that this policy change does not place unnecessary pressures on local authority homelessness services and the voluntary sector.

Lord Murray of Blidworth: An individual remains eligible for asylum support for a prescribed period from the day they are notified of the decision on their asylum claim. Where someone is given notice that their asylum claim has been granted, their appeal has been allowed or their asylum claim has been refused but they have been given leave to enter or remain, the prescribed period in legislation is 28 days. There has been no change to the prescribed period.Individuals should make plans to move on from asylum support as quickly as possible. We offer support through Migrant Help or their partner organisation in doing this. This includes providing advice on accessing the labour market, on applying for Universal Credit and signposting to local authorities for assistance with housing. Newly recognised refugees are entitled to housing assistance from their local authority and are treated as a priority need if they have children or are considered vulnerable. Individuals do not need to wait for their BRP to make a claim for benefits and are encouraged to do so as early as possible if they require them.We are ensuring our cross government partners, such as the (DWP) and the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC) are sighted on data to enable them to consider the impacts of increased decision making and effectively plan.  We are also working with DLUHC to ensure the right asylum decision data is being shared with local authorities to enable effective planning and to lessen the impact on existing homelessness and rough sleeping pressures. Our accommodation providers are directly working with local authorities to notify them when an individual is due to have their asylum support ended.

Department for Culture, Media and Sport

Advertising: Fraud

Lord Carlile of Berriew: To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made on the impact ofprogrammatic advertising fraud on (1) businesses, and (2) consumers.

Lord Carlile of Berriew: To ask His Majesty's Government when they intend to publish the public consultation on new primary legislation relating to the Online Advertising Programmeas announced on 25 July.

Lord Carlile of Berriew: To ask His Majesty's Government whether the primary legislation envisaged in their response to Online Advertising Programme consultationon 25 July will include specific measures to tackle programmatic advertising fraud.

Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay: His Majesty’s Government recognises the impact that fraudulent advertising can have on people’s lives and is committed to increasing protections against it. Data from the City of London Police / the National Fraud Intelligence Bureau found 35,000 frauds linked to digital advertising from April 2020 to March 2021, which carried an estimated overall cost of £400 million.As set out in HM Government’s response to the consultation on the Online Advertising Programme in July, the programme’s focus is on tackling illegal advertising and increasing protections for children and young people under 18 against advertisements for products and services which it is illegal to sell to them. It is intended that all forms of paid-for fraudulent advertising will be in scope. Further detail of the proposed regulation will be set out in a second consultation, which will be published in due course.

Media: Disinformation

Lord Oates: To ask His Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with UK media outlets about the importance of verifying reports before broadcast, particularly in a volatile war environment.

Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay: Broadcasters have a duty to ensure that the news they provide are accurate and impartial. That is particularly important when it comes to coverage of highly sensitive events.As the Prime Minister said at Prime Minister’s Questions on 18 October 2023, “it is incumbent on all of those in positions of responsibility in this House and outside in the media to recognise that the words we say will have an impact, and we should be careful with them”.Ofcom’s Broadcasting Code ensures that all broadcast news are reported with due accuracy and impartiality. As the UK’s independent broadcasting regulator, it is for Ofcom to determine whether there has been a breach of the Broadcasting Code, and whether to take action.

Department for Energy Security and Net Zero

Carbon Emissions

Lord Taylor of Warwick: To ask His Majesty's Government whether they have any plans to update their policies ensuring that the UK meets its future carbon budgets and its legal obligation to achieve net zero by 2050.

Lord Callanan: The Carbon Budget Delivery Plan, published in March, sets out the proposals and policies that enable carbon budgets 4, 5 and 6 to be met. My Rt. Hon. Friend the Secretary of State keeps under review the UK's progress towards net zero. The Government has exceeded every carbon budget to date and is confident in its ability to meet its targets and net zero by 2050.

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Water Abstraction: Teddington

Baroness Jones of Moulsecoomb: To ask His Majesty's Government, following the selection of the Teddington direct river abstraction proposal, what investigations they expect Thames Water to undertake regarding per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) in the water courses in England and Wales, with particular reference to treated effluent at Mogden Sewage Treatment Works, further to data collected by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in the USA concerning connections between women diagnosed with some hormonally driven cancers and exposure to certain PFASs in household and industrial products.

Lord Benyon: For Teddington direct river abstraction proposal to be taken forward Thames Water will be required to obtain an abstraction licence and permit to discharge from the Environment Agency. These set out the conditions under which abstraction is authorised to take place and the standards to which the discharged effluent must be treated, ensuring it is treated to a high standard to meet environmental and human health quality standards. The Environment Agency regulates discharge permits by assessing the quality of the effluent discharged against set compliance limits. Thames Water will need to undertake any investigations necessary to meet those regulatory requirements.

Fishing Catches

Lord Teverson: To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to ensure that fishing quotas are not above the levels recommended by scientific advice.

Lord Benyon: As an independent coastal State, the UK sets total allowable catches (TACs) through negotiations with other coastal States, led by the best scientific advice, including advice from the International Council for the Exploration of the Seas (ICES) on maximum sustainable yield (MSY). Per our obligations under the Fisheries Act 2020 and Joint Fisheries Statement, we seek to achieve, or contribute to the achievement of the fisheries objectives. In particular, we strive for outcomes that ensure environmental sustainability, including increasing the total number of stocks fished at MSY, as well as bring socio-economic benefits. In early 2024, following the conclusion of the annual fisheries negotiations, the Government will publish an independent assessment of the number of TACs set consistent with ICES advice for 2024.

Horticulture: Environment Protection

Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle: To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they plan to take to ensure that the environmental horticulture industry receives adequate support and acknowledgement, and is regarded as part of the "green economy" in assessment and support.

Lord Benyon: The Government recognises the crucial role the UK’s environmental (or ornamental) horticulture sector has in not only promoting people’s wellbeing and in meeting our environmental goals, but to the economy – ornamental horticulture production being worth £1.5 billion in 2022. With announcements made at the No.10 Farm to Fork Summit this year, we have committed to work across Government to support horticulture on energy, planning and seasonal labour. This is in addition to the existing funding streams that the horticulture sector can access, including the Farming Innovation Programme, the Farming Investment Fund and the Sustainable Farming Incentive. Defra regularly engages with the horticulture industry to understand what support they need to continue to produce great food. Our discussions with industry representatives help inform future policy development and help us understand what support the sector needs to help it thrive.

Agriculture

The Marquess of Lothian: To ask His Majesty's Government what current action they are taking to work with (1) major supermarket chains, and (2) fruit and vegetable farmers, to protect the future of British food and farming for the long term, and to ensure that farmers have job security and stability.

Lord Benyon: The Government values our food and farming system, and we are delivering a range of measures to back our hardworking farmers and growers to support a resilient, innovative and more sustainable system. A thriving horticultural sector is a crucial part of our food system, as well as an important part of our wider economy, and we are committed to supporting it. My department meets regularly with food retailers to discuss a range of issues, including the future of British food and farming. The Prime Minister held the UK Farm to Fork Summit at 10 Downing Street on 16 May, which focussed on how Government and industry can work together across a number of issues affecting the sector. We want all farmers and growers to receive a fair price for their products and the Government is committed to tackling contractual unfairness that can exist in the agri-food supply chain. At the Farm to Fork Summit we announced a review of the horticulture supply chain to help ensure farmers are paid a fair price for their produce. In December, we will launch a public consultation exploring these issues. We will analyse the responses and provide a formal response that provides a summary of the findings and sets out next steps. This review seeks to understand issues relating to fairness in the supply chain across the whole of the UK. If responses indicate there are contractual issues that we believe we should seek to address, the powers in the Agriculture Act apply to the whole of the UK. Our regular discussions with industry representatives help inform future policy development and help us understand what support the sector needs to help it thrive.

Seals

The Marquess of Lothian: To ask His Majesty's Government whether they have figures for the number of seals in coastal waters which have been (1) killed, or (2) badly injured, by lost flying rings in the past five years; and whether they have any plans to ban the manufacture of such rings to protect seals.

Lord Benyon: The Government funded Cetacean Strandings Investigation Programme (CSIP) investigates the causes of death of stranded cetaceans (dolphins, whales and porpoises) around the United Kingdom coast. As part of this programme, routine investigations of seal strandings were also re-introduced to the programme in 2022, improving our understanding of, and ability to tackle key threats to the animals. As part of this programme, one case has been recorded of seals in coastal waters which have been killed by lost flying rings, although a number of anecdotal reports of live seals found with heads in flying rings have been recorded over the same period. Seal mortality due to entanglements in other forms of marine plastics or marine debris have also been recorded by the CSIP and partners. We would encourage anyone who sees a sick, injured or entangled seal to contact the British Divers Marine Life Rescue and report any dead seals to the CSIP. See Defra’s Marine and Coastal Wildlife Code for England for more information. The Code also raises awareness of the need for the public to take all litter home with them when visiting the coast. The Government currently has no plans to ban the sale of plastic flying ring frisbees. In general, we prefer to help people and companies make the right choice, rather than banning items outright. Where the evidence supports the case, we will continue to review the impact of problematic products and take a systematic approach to reducing the use and impact of plastic products.

Food Supply

Lord Taylor of Warwick: To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the Sustainability journal article 'Scoping Potential Routes to UK Civil Unrest via the Food System: Results of a Structured Expert Elicitation', published on 12 October, which found that 45 per cent of people surveyed believed civil unrest was possible in the future due to climate-induced food shortages; and what steps they are taking in response.

Lord Benyon: The UK has a highly resilient food supply chain which has coped well in responding to unprecedented challenges. We have in place a robust system for assessing and managing the risks facing the UK. The National Risk Register published earlier this year sets out our assessment of the risk landscape facing the United Kingdom, including risks to the food system, risks arising from climate change, and the risk of public disorder. We have in place comprehensive plans to monitor and build resilience to specific risks, including risks to the food system, as reflected in the Government Food Strategy, National Adaptation Programme and UK Food Security Report.

Water Abstraction: Teddington

Baroness Jones of Moulsecoomb: To ask His Majesty's Government what consideration was givento the River Severn transfer option duringthe selection process which, identifying "best value", opted forThames Water's proposed Teddington direct river abstraction; and what role any public support for the River Severn transfer option and any social, environmental and economic benefits of restoring heritage waterways played in that consideration.

Lord Benyon: Water Resources South East (WRSE) regional group has developed a regional water resource resilience plan for the South East region of England. They have modelled around 2,400 options to meet water demand in the southeast. These comprised many different types of options, including a Severn Thames Transfer alongside reservoirs, transfers, water recycling schemes, as well as options for developing new and existing sources of water. These options were put through a rigorous options appraisal process to develop a preferred best value plan to serve people and the environment in the southeast. Thames Water are part of WRSE and are responsible for developing their statutory Water Resource Management Plan (WRMP) for their supply area, to provide the secure water supplies expected by customers. Thames Water’s WRMP is aligned with the WRSE plan and therefore proposes supply options that are best value, taking into account social, environmental and economic benefits. Thames Water have consulted on their draft WRMP, considered consultation responses and produced a statement of response (as attached).

Water Abstraction: Teddington

Baroness Jones of Moulsecoomb: To ask His Majesty's Government what range of impact assessmentsthey expect Thames Water to provide regarding the consequences for local wildlife habitatsarising fromconstruction of their proposed Teddington direct river abstraction on green spaces categorised as Metropolitan Open Land, such asHam Lands and Moormead Park in St Margaret’s.

Lord Benyon: Thames Water is required to provide further assessments through the RAPID (Regulators Alliance for Progressing Infrastructure Development) gated planning process to ensure that all potential impacts of the Teddington direct river abstraction (DRA) scheme are assessed and investigated, including any impacts on green spaces. The design and location of elements of the scheme are still at the conceptual design stage of development. Any scheme developed will have to meet environmental and planning requirements. The suite of assessments required will depend on the final design of the scheme and nature/location of impacts which are expected to be identified through the Gate 3 planning process. The proposed Teddington DRA is expected to take the Development Consent Order planning route, which will require an Environmental Impact Assessment of the scheme’s impacts as part of the planning process. Where possible we expect environmental enhancements to be included in the scheme design.

Water Abstraction: Teddington

Baroness Jones of Moulsecoomb: To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Environment Agency report that said Thames Water had so far failed to show that the proposed Teddington direct river abstraction was "feasible or environmentally acceptable", what further assessments of impacts on habitats, biodiversity net gain and health, as well as social impacts on local communities, Thames Water will be expected to produce.

Lord Benyon: The feasibility of Teddington is considered as part of Thames Water’s statutory Water Resource Management Plan (WRMP) development with specific guidelines for environmental assessment. WRMPs are also subject to Strategic Environmental Assessment. The feasibility and the environmental acceptability of Teddington is being investigated as part of the RAPID (Regulators Alliance for Progressing Infrastructure Development) gated process and with more detailed project level environmental and social impact assessment undertaken to support planning or Development Consent Order applications, notably Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Regulations requirements. EIA is also needed to support any applications for other regulatory consents. In all cases impacts on habitats, biodiversity net gain and health, as well as social impacts on local communities need to be considered and public consultation is required.

Water Abstraction: Teddington

Baroness Jones of Moulsecoomb: To ask His Majesty's Government what steps the Environment Agencyand Ofwat will take following the Teddington direct river abstraction proposal to ensure that Thames Water meets its obligations, givenits Strategic Environmental Assessment directive and failure to present an environmental report or to allow the public an opportunity effectively to express their opinion about it.

Lord Benyon: Proposals for Teddington direct river abstraction need to follow the statutory Water Resource Management Plan (WRMP) process, which includes the requirement for a Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA). Thames Water published its draft WRMP in December 2022 with a 12-week public consultation period. Thames Water received 80 representations specific to Teddington from stakeholders and the public. The company has recently published a statement of response outlining how it plans to address the points raised. The feasibility of Teddington is also being investigated in more detail as part of a London Reuse strategic resource option (SRO). The investigation into the feasibility of this SRO along with another 17 across the country is managed by RAPID (Regulators Alliance for Progressing Infrastructure Development) which is a partnership that is made up of the three water regulators Ofwat, Environment Agency and Drinking Water Inspectorate. The investigation process is split into ‘gates’ and at each gate the SRO is required to publish evidence based Environmental Assessment Reports. London Reuse published its Gate 2 reports in winter 22/23 allowing a 6-week window for public consultation.

Dangerous Dogs

Lord Patten: To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of progress to prevent attacks on humans by dog breeds such as XL Bully in England and Wales.

Lord Benyon: The Government is taking urgent action to bring forward a ban on American XL Bully dog types following a concerning rise in attacks and fatalities, which appear to be driven by this type of dog. We intend to have the legislation in place to deliver this by the end of the year. In the meantime, we have been working hard with the police, local authorities and animal welfare groups to help prevent attacks by encouraging responsible dog ownership, to ensure dog control issues are addressed before they escalate and to make sure the full force of the law is applied across all breeds of dog.

River Thames: Fish

Lord Lee of Trafford: To ask His Majesty's Government what information they have on which different species of fish inhabit the tidal reaches of the River Thames, particularly in the Richmond and Teddington sections.

Lord Benyon: The Environment Agency (EA) is responsible for managing freshwater fisheries in England and carries out biannual fish surveys at eight locations on the tidal Thames, between Gravesend and Richmond. From 2010-2022, the EA recorded 19 fish species at Richmond. These were: bleak; brown trout; bullhead; chub; common bream; common carp; dace; European eel; flounder; common goby; gudgeon; minnow; perch; roach; rudd; sand smelt; sea bass; smelt; and three-spined stickleback. Teddington has not been surveyed recently but between 1989 and 1993 11 species were caught at Teddington. These were: bleak; common bream; common goby; dace; European eel; flounder; gudgeon; perch; roach; sea bass; and three-spined stickleback.

Processed Food: Consumption

Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle: To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of how the cost of living crisis has affected ultra-processed food consumption in lower socioeconomic groups.

Lord Benyon: Defra has not made an assessment how the cost of living crisis has affected ultra-processed food consumption in lower socioeconomic groups. The Government’s food strategy sets out the significant investments that are already being made across the food system, which is from farm to fork and catch to plate. This includes over £130 million joint funding with UK Research and Innovation in food systems research and innovation; £100 million in the Seafood fund; £270 million across the Farming Innovation Programme; a new programme of food system trials to encourage and enable healthier and more sustainable diets, and an £11 million investment supporting new research to drive improvements in understanding the relationship between food and health. Government advice on a healthy, balanced diet is encapsulated in the UK’s national food model, the Eatwell Guide.

UK Internal Trade: Labelling

Lord Weir of Ballyholme: To ask His Majesty's Government what istheir assessment of the costs to UK businesses of the requirement for not-for-EU labels on products in (1) 2023–24 and (2) 2024–25.

Lord Weir of Ballyholme: To ask His Majesty's Government whether the funding of £50 million announced to support businesses to cover costs of not-for-EU labelling has been baselined for future funding, or whether it is one-off funding.

Lord Benyon: The first phase of ‘Not-for-EU’ labelling requirements under the Northern Ireland Retail Movement Scheme took effect from 1 October. Further phases will follow in October 2024 and July 2025. The Government would not normally provide any financial support to businesses for the cost of new labelling requirements. However, in recognition of the accelerated timescale compared with standard labelling changes, we have exceptionally made available a £50 million fund, the Transitional Labelling Financial Assistance Scheme. This will cover 2023-24 (phase one) costs only, because the following phases are in line with normal timescales for labelling changes. Redesign, printing and warehouse costs for product, box, and shelf level labelling will all be in scope. The Government will publish its assessment of the costs of the new labelling requirements in due course. The £50 million grant fund we have announced is designed to cover the majority, though not all, of industry costs incurred in this respect. This is to encourage efficiency and because labelling changes would normally be part of the cost of doing business for the food industry, as well as to protect the public purse.

Department of Health and Social Care

Children: Health

The Lord Bishop of Durham: To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the Children's Society's The Good Childhood Report 2023, published on 20 September, and what plans they have to implement its recommendations to promote the wellbeing of children.

Lord Markham: The Government is grateful for the Good Childhood Report and has noted its findings. The Children’s Commissioner’s Family Review covers similar issues and the Government’s response to this will be published imminently.The recommendation to create a cabinet level minister for children was addressed in the Government’s response to the final report of the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse. We accept the importance of placing the best interests of the child front and centre in policy and decision making at the highest level of government. This role is already fulfilled through the work of the Secretary of State for Education.We are implementing the proposals of the Government’s Transforming children and young people’s mental health Green Paper which includes establishing mental health support teams in schools and providing training to Senior Mental Health leads in schools.The Department for Education publishes an annual State of the Nation report into Children’s wellbeing. The report brings together a range of published information from government, academic, voluntary, and private sector organisations to provide a clear narrative for all those interested in the wellbeing of children and young people in England. It provides a shared evidence base for everyone – in government, services, schools and colleges, parents and families, communities, and employers – to reflect upon and deliver better wellbeing outcomes for all children and young people.

Falkland Islands: Mental Health Services

Lord Patten: To ask His Majesty's Government whatsupport they are providing to the government of the Falkland Islands to assist with the provision of mental health services for young people.

Lord Markham: The Department of Health and Social Care works with the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), and the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities, to provide health system support to all Overseas Territories, including the Falkland Islands.The public health programme, led by UKHSA, has undertaken several initiatives related to youth mental health which the Falkland Islands have benefitted from, including: an upcoming project with experts in the United Kingdom to deliver support to Overseas Territories in designing and delivering a campaign to improve awareness and understanding of mental health and reduce stigma and discrimination in the community;regular sharing of the latest public health publications, reports and initiatives from the UK and around the world with colleagues in all Overseas Territories, some of which relate to mental health, such as the Every Mind Matters initiative; and establishing networks of health professionals, including clinical psychologists, health promotion leads, psychiatric nurses and school nurses, across the Overseas Territories.The networks are a means of peer support for isolated health professionals and an effective approach for sharing good practice in what works in remote island contexts. The Falkland Islands have taken an active role in this network.

Genetics: Screening

Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle: To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of Nolan and Ormondroyd’s systematic review published on 30 March in Clinical Genetics, setting out the consequences for consumers and health services of direct-to-consumer genetic testing and how it relates to equitable healthcare; and what assessment they have made of the regulation of direct-to-consumer genetic testing.

Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle: To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of Emma Wilkinson’s article published in October 2022 in The BMJ on the impact of direct-to-consumer testing on the public and the NHS, and of how this relates to the regulation of direct-to-consumer health testing.

Lord Markham: Whilst no specific assessment has been made of Nolan and Ormondroyd’s systematic review published in March 2023 or Emma Wilkinson’s article published in October 2022, the Government recognises both the opportunities and risks raised by direct-to-consumer genomic tests and is committed to ensuring effective and proportionate regulation.In consideration of the regulation of direct-to-consumer genetic and health testing, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency is working to develop a robust, world-leading regulatory regime for such medical devices that prioritises patient safety.

Vorasidenib

The Lord Bishop of St Albans: To ask His Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with Servier to expand access to vorasidenib for patients that might benefit by including it in the early access to medicines scheme, or by any other means.

Lord Markham: The Department has had no specific discussions with Servier regarding vorasidenib, and neither has the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA). The MHRA has not issued a scientific opinion for Vorasidenib under the early access to medicines scheme but should an application for this be received, the MHRA will consider this accordingly.

Ultrasonics

Baroness Cumberlege: To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to protect patients from (1) unregulated, and (2) unqualified, non-medical ultrasound practitioners.

Lord Markham: The Government is clear that the regulatory oversight of health and care professions must be proportionate to the risks to the public. Statutory regulation of healthcare professionals should only be used where the risks to patient protection cannot be addressed through employer oversight, system regulation, or accredited voluntary registration.Services offering diagnostic and screening procedures that use ultrasound to examine the body must register with the Care Quality Commission (CQC). Providers must demonstrate that they provide enough suitably qualified, competent, skilled, and experienced staff to meet the needs of the people using the service to comply with the CQC’s regulatory requirements to operate. Some sonographers are qualified and registered to practice in another healthcare profession that is subject to statutory regulation. The Professional Standards Authority for Health and Social Care manages the Accredited Registers Programme which independently assesses organisations who operate voluntary registers for practitioners who are not regulated by law. Sonographers can register with the accredited Register of Clinical Technologists.The Government keeps the healthcare professions subject to statutory regulation under review and recently ran a consultation seeking views on the criteria used to decide when regulation is necessary, and whether there are any unregulated professions that should be brought into statutory regulation. The Government will publish its response to the consultation in due course.

Antimicrobials: Drug Resistance

Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle: To ask His Majesty's Government what progress they have made towards introducing the recording of antimicrobial resistance as a cause of death on death certificates.

Lord Markham: Medical practitioners are expected to state the cause of death on death certificates to the best of their knowledge and belief, including where a resistant infection was a contributory factor. Consistently citing antimicrobial resistance (AMR) as a cause of death on the Medical Certificate of Cause of Death (MCCD) could provide better data on the scale and impact of AMR and improve public awareness of the issue.In November 2022, as part of the National Medical Examiner’s “Good Practice Series”, the Royal College of Pathologists published a paper to help medical examiner offices align with the UK AMR National Action Plan, and support surveillance of antimicrobial resistance. The paper asks medical examiners to encourage and educate those writing MCCDs to accurately record the organism responsible for the infection, whether it was resistant to microbial therapy, and whether the infection was hospital- or community-associated, where this is known. A copy of the paper is attached.Good Practice Series  (pdf, 360.3KB)

Autism: Mental Health Services

Baroness Merron: To ask His Majesty's Government when steps they are taking to reduce the number of autistic people confined to inpatient care in mental health hospitals.

Lord Markham: In July 2022, we published the Building the Right Support (BtRS) Action Plan, which sets out cross-government actions to strengthen community support and reduce reliance on mental health inpatient care for autistic people and people with a learning disability. The BtRS Delivery Board is overseeing implementation of the Action Plan. The Board includes representatives from across government and public services who are working together to drive faster progress, identifying new actions and mitigations as appropriate. This year, we are investing an additional £121 million to improve community support as part of the NHS Long Term Plan, including funding for Children and Young People’s keyworkers.

Autism and Learning Disabilty: Mental Health Services

Baroness Merron: To ask His Majesty's Government whether they have any plans toset targets aimed at reducing the number of autistic people without a learning disability confined to inpatient care in mental health hospitals.

Lord Markham: The NHS Long Term plan commits to achieving a 50% net reduction in the number of autistic people and people with a learning disability who are inpatients in mental health hospitals by end of March 2024. This objective is inclusive of autistic inpatients who are not diagnosed with a learning disability.

Department for Work and Pensions

Sustainable Development: Developing Countries

Baroness Lister of Burtersett: To ask His Majesty's Government what progress they have made on meeting the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 1 in the UK.

Viscount Younger of Leckie: The Government is committed to reducing poverty and supporting low-income families. We will spend around £276bn through the welfare system in Great Britain in 2023/24 including around £124bn on people of working age and children, and around £152 billion on pensioners. Of this, around £79 billion will be spent on benefits to support disabled people and people with health conditions. From April, we uprated benefit rates and State Pensions by 10.1%, and in order to increase the number of households who can benefit from these uprating decisions the benefit cap levels also increased by the same amount. In 2021/22 there were 1.7 million fewer people in absolute poverty after housing costs than in 2009/10, including 400,000 fewer children, 1 million fewer working age adults and 200,000 fewer pensioners. With almost one million job vacancies across the UK, our focus remains firmly on supporting individuals to move into and progress in work. This approach which is based on clear evidence about the importance of employment - particularly where it is full-time - in substantially reducing the risks of poverty. The latest statistics show that in 2021/22 working age adults living in workless families were 7 times more likely to be in absolute poverty after housing costs than working age adults in families where all adults work. Through the ambitious package announced at the Spring budget we are delivering measures that are designed to support people to enter work, increase their working hours and extend their working lives. To help people into work, our core Jobcentre offer provides a range of options, including face-to-face time with work coaches and interview assistance. In addition, there is specific support targeted towards young people, people aged 50 plus and job seekers with disabilities or health issues. To support those who are in work, from 1 April 2023, the National Living Wage (NLW) increased by 9.7% to £10.42 an hour for workers aged 23 and over - the largest ever cash increase for the NLW. In addition, the voluntary in-work progression offer started to roll-out in April 2022. It is now available in all Jobcentres across Great Britain. We estimate that around 1.4m low-paid benefit claimants will be eligible for support to progress into higher-paid work. This government understands the pressures people are facing with the cost of living which is why we are providing total support of over £94bn over 2022-23 and 2023-24 to help households and individuals with the rising bills.

Hornets

Lord Colgrain: To ask His Majesty's Government what progress they are making in accelerating the granting of licences for insecticides that will enable apiarists to control the spread of the Asian hornet.

Viscount Younger of Leckie: The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is the regulator responsible for authorising biocidal products (which include insecticides) on the market in Great Britain. Insecticide control options are already available to expert government officials carrying out treatments to destroy Asian hornet nests. Whilst there are currently no insecticide biocidal products specifically authorised for use against Asian hornets, there are a number of products available for use against hornets. Manufacturers of insecticides can apply to HSE if they wish to add specific claims for Asian hornets to their products.

Household Support Fund

Lord Palmer of Childs Hill: To ask His Majesty's Government howmoney from the Household Support Fund is allocated; and what criteria they use when deciding how much money each local authority is given.

Viscount Younger of Leckie: The Government is providing an additional £1 billion of funding, including Barnett impact, to enable the extension of the Household Support Fund in England this financial year. This is on top of what we have already provided since October 2021, bringing total funding to £2.5 billion. In England this is being delivered through an extension to the Household Support Fund backed by £842 million, running from 1 April 2023 to 31 March 2024. It is for the devolved administrations to decide how to allocate their additional Barnett funding. The year-long Household Support Fund extension allows Local Authorities in England to continue to provide discretionary cost of living support to those most in need. The distribution of the funding is targeted at the areas of the country with the most vulnerable households, on the basis of Office for National Statistics (ONS) local population estimates and Index of Multiple Deprivation (IMD) scores. Allocation amounts for upper tier Local Authorities in England are therefore reflective of population size and relative deprivation.

Department for Transport

Roads: Repairs and Maintenance

Lord Patten: To ask His Majesty's Government how they define the term ‘pothole’.

Baroness Vere of Norbiton: There is no nationally agreed definition of a pothole. It is up to local authorities to decide which surface defects on the highway to treat, following a risk-based approach. This is set out in the best practice document “Well Managed Highway Infrastructure: A Code of Practice”, which is available online.

Roads: Repairs and Maintenance

Lord Patten: To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the condition of road infrastructure in England and how many potholes they have (1) identified and (2) filled to completion on (a) roads and (b) pedestrian pavements.

Baroness Vere of Norbiton: Local highway authorities have a duty under Section 41 of the Highways Act 1980 to maintain the highways network in their area. The Act does not set out specific standards of maintenance, as it is for each individual local highway authority to assess which parts of its network need repair and what standards should be applied, based upon their local knowledge and circumstances. The Department annually collects and publishes information on GOV.UK regarding the condition of roads in England, covering surface condition, skidding resistance, and highway maintenance treatments and expenditure. This information comes from surveys which identify a series of road surface defects, although some of these defects may be related to potholes, the number of potholes cannot be recorded. The most recent release can be read on GOV.UK.The Department does not hold information on the condition of footpaths, this information will be held by local authorities for their own asset management needs.

Low Traffic Neighbourhoods

Baroness Deech: To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the review of low traffic neighbourhoods announced on 30 July, what stepsthey plan to take to prevent the introduction of new low traffic neighbourhoods until the review is completed.

Baroness Vere of Norbiton: The Government’s review of low-traffic neighbourhood (LTN) schemes is underway. The Department recommends that local authorities should not be introducing any new LTNs, unless already contractually committed, until after the review has concluded. Installation of LTNs and other traffic management measures remain the responsibility of local councils, who are accountable for the decisions they take.

Treasury

Tobacco: Smuggling

Lord Blunkett: To ask His Majesty's Government what is their estimate of the likely change in smuggling of tobacco products as a result of the proposed gradual phasing out of their legal sale.

Baroness Penn: The Government does not expect to see a significant change in smuggling of tobacco products. However, HMRC and Border Force will continue to monitor the situation and take appropriate action, and respond to any additional risks. Work is already underway to update the current HMRC and Border Force Illicit Tobacco Strategy ‘Leaf to Light’. A new Strategy will be published in the coming months, and this will set out the Government’s approach to addressing the current and future challenges in tackling illicit tobacco, including smuggling.

Tobacco: Taxation

Lord Blunkett: To ask His Majesty's Government what is their estimate of the annual loss to the Exchequer of revenue from domestic sales of cigarettes, cigars and tobacco from the 2028 financial year onwards, as a result of the proposed gradual phasing out of their legal sale.

Baroness Penn: As announced by the Prime Minister on 4 October 2023, the Government is creating the first smokefree generation, by bringing forward legislation so that children turning 14 this year or younger will never be legally sold tobacco products. This will prevent future generations from ever taking up smoking, as there is no safe age to smoke. The ‘Stopping the start: our new plan to create a smokefree generation’ command paper sets out the proposed actions the Government will take to tackle smoking and youth vaping[1]. The Government launched the ‘Creating a smokefree generation and tackling youth vaping’ consultation on 12 October on the smokefree generation policy detailed in the command paper[2]. Once final policy decisions are confirmed, the impact of those decisions on the public finances will be assessed and reflected in the Office for Budget Responsibility's forecast. A smokefree generation will save the NHS billions over the long-term and put cash back in the pockets of millions of families across this country. [1] https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/stopping-the-start-our-new-plan-to-create-a-smokefree-generation#:~:text=This%20publication%20sets%20out%20proposed,ensure%20the%20law%20is%20enforced  [2] https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/creating-a-smokefree-generation-and-tackling-youth-vaping#:~:text=Consultation%20description,ensure%20the%20law%20is%20enforced.

Taxation: Domicil

Lord Agnew of Oulton: To ask His Majesty's Government how many non-resident trusts there are with at least one UK-resident beneficiary; and how they arrived at an estimate in respect of trusts that are not required to be registered under the Trust Registration Service.

Baroness Penn: For trusts registered on the Trust Registration Service by 31 March 2023, that remained open as of 31 August 2023, there are around 3,000 non-UK resident trusts that have at least 1 UK resident beneficiary recorded.

Carbon Tax: Northern Ireland

Lord Weir of Ballyholme: To ask His Majesty's Government what are the implications of the EU's carbon tax for businesses in Northern Ireland.

Baroness Penn: The EU introduced a Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) on 1st October 2023. It is currently in its initial reporting phase which means that EU importers of CBAM goods will have to report on the volume of their imports and the emissions embedded in those products, but without paying any charge at this stage. The UK Government is following developments on the EU CBAM closely and engaging with the Commission to discuss technical detail.